The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-05
TURKISH REcREATIoNs.
How the Indolent Subjects OF the sultan
Amuse Themselves.

The traits OF people may often be
Judged as correctly from their pleasures
and recreations as from their history
and serious conduct. In the freedom
of the idle. pleasure-seeking hours. Il
people will betray whether they are
~ gimative or matter-o fact, whether
they are gentle or rough. whether they
are sober or buoyant of spirit. 1t is
usual to find that people who dwell
in rugged, inhospitable lands, in re-
gions of storm and gloomy skies, prefer
amusements which are hardy and act
i've; while those who dwell in softer,
SUMMER climes enjoy themselves in
milder recreations.
The old French chronicler. Froissart,
observed, when in England. that the
English ''took their pleasures very
sadly" The English, and especially
the Scotch, dwelling as they do in q
capricious climate, are noted for the
ruggedness and hardhood OF their
sports. The buoyaucy and gayety of
the French character, on the other hand,
are strikingly reelected in the lightness
and sparkle which appear in all their
iavorite pastimes.
The recreations of Oriental peoples
are more interesting, because less
familiar to us, than those of the Western
peoples, and afford quite as reliable a
key to national character. A recent
sojourner in Turkey has given very
entertaining account of the ways in
which the subjects of the Sultan beguiIe
their many idle hours. The Turks are
an indolent people The languor of
their beautiful climate renders them
prone to take the world easily. to have
frequent holidays. and to enjoy pleas
ures which soothe rather than excite.
The principal public recrcations of
the Turks are three. One is. to witness
the burlesque acting of company of
men, who do not use any stage for their
performances, but issue forth from be-
hind Il simple screen. These players 90
about from place to place. erect their
screen in the open air, and give their
of turbaned oilers who gather around
them. Another favorite amusement is
| what the writer referred to calls the
Turkish Punch aud Judy" This
show, however, is given by means of
shadows cast upon white sheet The
effect of this is very weird and striking
The third public recreation is the
gathering in the streets, or on the open
| spaces, to listen to the thrilling tales of
the 'meddahs," or professional story
tellors. The meddahs take the place,
in Turkey, of lecturers in America.
They relate the most exciting stories,
with many emphatic gestures, contor-
| tons of the face and modulations Of the
voice. They sit in the middle of an at
tentive circle. and often rouse their
hearers to high pitch of breathess
interest and excitement by their dra-
matte powers Of narration.
The Turkish women arc allowed to
witness the burlesque acting, but they
are forbidden to be present at the
Punch and Judy shows, and at the
storytelling of the meddahs. The
women. moreover are not permitted
to attend the theaters and opera
| houses.
Like all Orientals, the Turks arc
very fond Of music and of dancing.
But their airs. musical instruments and
dances are entirely different from those
of Western Europe. They partake
very much of the nature of the race as
seen in other ways. The Turkish
music. to Western ears. sounds soft,
melodous and monotonous. The Turks,
on the other hand. regard European
music as too loud, boisterous and con-
fused in sound. A choir, or an orches-
ira. in Turkey, all sing and play the
air only.
The Turks like ceremony. and all
| their recreation5 are pursued in Sc
date, quiet, ceremonious way. The mus-
clans, dancers. story-tellers are ushered
before and away from their audiences
with flourishes and obeisances. and are
rewarded with much solemnity of do
meanor. There are very few rccrea-
tons in Turkey in which men and
women are allowed to take part in
common. When both sexes witness
the same performance. the women al
ways sit in group behind a screen or
thick lattice, so that they can witness
what is going forward without seeing
or being seen by the men. Bat in this
case, the best point from which to view
the performance is accorded to the
W mon.-- YOUTHS Companion.
| - -
Excellent Rolls: Take three pints
of warm water in which some pooled
Irish potatoes have been boiled. strain
your water. add a tablespoonful 4
butter or lard, one teacupful Of warm
yeast; thicken it with flour to make a
dough. Let it sta ID to rise. then work
into rolls, Let it stand to rise fifteen
or twenty minutes, then bake about
three-quarterS OF an hour. You can
make this into loavcs, rs it is y good
bread recipe. Boston .HHdgSh